Vail Golf Club

Vail Golf Club sits at approximately 8,200 feet elevation in the heart of Colorado's Rocky Mountains, making it one of the highest-altitude regulation golf courses in North America. Designed by Ben Krueger and opened in 1962, the course occupies a narrow mountain valley floor alongside Gore Creek, with the surrounding peaks of the White River National Forest rising steeply on all sides. The layout reflects the constraints and opportunities of its alpine setting, with holes routed through stands of lodgepole pine, spruce, and aspen, and the creek coming into play on several holes. The course measures relatively short by modern standards—under 7,000 yards from the tips—but elevation and terrain provide natural defense. Approach shots play significantly shorter in the thin air, and the mountain topography creates uneven lies and strategic angles. The narrow fairways and tree-lined corridors reward accuracy over distance. Several holes feature dramatic elevation changes, and the back nine in particular moves through more varied terrain as it works away from and back toward the clubhouse. Vail Golf Club serves primarily as a daily-fee facility operated by the Town of Vail, offering access to resort visitors and locals throughout the summer season, which typically runs from late May through early October depending on snowmelt and weather. The course provides a mountain golf experience closely integrated with the resort town's character, and its setting amid the high peaks gives it a distinctive sense of place within Colorado golf.